The Wilderness Fairies: Daisy’s New Wings

In Daisy’s Quest, the
first exciting, event-filled book in this series of chapter books for readers 7
to 9 years, Daisy gained her feathery new wings. Daisy finally feels like a
true fairy but she will need all the strength, bravery, resourcefulness and
persistence she showed in that quest in order to learn how to fly. First,
though, Daisy needs bigger dresses in order to accommodate her wings, so Mum’s
sister, Aunt Acacia, a seamstress, gets to work. First she takes her niece into
the forest to point out potential dangers for a flying fairy – webs, thorny
bushes, snakes and currawongs.

Then Daisy – with the help of her best friend,
the beetle Vu, needs to build up her shoulder muscles, which requires lots of
exercise practice.

Like other young children
learning a new skill, Daisy needs to learn patience and how to deal with
disappointment and frustration. Her first attempt to fly, encouraged by her
fairy friend Pea, results in a fall from a tree branch. Luckily, Dad, who is a
healer, is able to help Daisy to recover. Kerry Millard, the illustrator, who
faithfully captures the spirit of the Wilderness Fairy’s stories, has
beautifully captured, in simple lines and wash, many tender moments in the
books, including one of a tearful Daisy being consoled – and encouraged – by
her aunt after this first failure.

Learning ways of moving –
from hovering to gentle fluttering to powerful flapping – Daisy gains concentration and focus. Her first solo flight is wild and unpredictable but
ultimately successful. The next book in this wonderful series will surely be
about Daisy’s attempt to find her ‘Calling’.

In this – and the previous
book – the author Jodie Wells-Slowgrove – has created a whole new world which
is fantastical and yet utterly believable. She has captured the atmosphere of
forests which are so familiar to Australians. Even within Daisy’s life her
close-knitted family seems real as they gather together to dine on lilli pilli
cake, roasted seeds, native cherries and wattle seed damper.

The books give
readers insight into the lives of native animals and their habitat. At the end
of this book there are notes purportedly from Daisy about how to make bush
music, about Sydney Green Wattle and Nelli, a ladybird which are featured in
the story.

This series is sure to find
a strong following with children who appreciate page-turning adventures and
characters which one can care about.